"The relationship between an aspiring dancer and a popular songstress provides a retrospective of the great African-American entertainers of the early 1900s."
Lena Horne
as Selina Rogers
Bill Robinson
as Bill Williamson
Cab Calloway
as Cab Calloway
Katherine Dunham
as Katherine Dunham
Fats Waller
as 'Fats' Waller
Fayard Nicholas
as Dancer
Harold Nicholas
Ada Brown
as Singer
Dooley Wilson
as Gabe Tucker
Doris Ake
as Dancer (uncredited)
Juliette Ball
Lucille Battle
Matthew Beard
as Stagehand (uncredited)
Talley Beatty
Lennie Bluett
as Dancer / Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Anise Boyer
as Singer (uncredited)
Teddy Buckner
as Band Member (uncredited)
Judy Carol
as Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Benny Carter
as Trumpeter (uncredited)
Janet Collins
Vivian Dandridge
Robert Felder
as Cab Calloway, Jr. (uncredited)
Louise Franklin
Ruby Golden
as Fat Girl (uncredited)
Suzette Harbin
Avanelle Harris
Kathleen Hartsfield
as Hatcheck Girl / Dancer (uncredited)
Maggie Hathaway
Charles Hawkins
Coleman Hawkins
as Saxophonist (uncredited)
Cleo Herndon
Johnny Horace
as Member The Shadracks (uncredited)
Illinois Jacquet
Mae E. Johnson
as May Johnson (uncredited)
Jo Jones
as Drummer (uncredited)
Johnny Lee
as Lyles (uncredited)
Jeni Le Gon
Rosalie Lincoln
F.E. Miller
as Skit (uncredited)
Taps Miller
Millie Monroe
Tommie Moore
as Dancer / Nightclub Patron
Florence O'Brien
as Tucker's Gold-Digging Girlfriend (uncredited)
Neva Peoples
as Nightclub Dancer (uncredited)
Henry Phace Roberts
Ruth Scott
Zutty Singleton
Ned Stanfield
Nick Stewart
as Cousin Jake (uncredited)
Johnny Thomas
Lena Torrence
Emmett 'Babe' Wallace
as Chick Bailey (uncredited)
Ernest Whitman
as Jim Europe (uncredited)
Artie Young
Andrew L. Stone
Director
James B. Clark
Editor
Cyril J. Mockridge
Music
William LeBaron
Producer
Leon Shamroy
Director of Photography
Ted Koehler
Screenplay
Frederick J. Jackson
Joseph C. Wright
Art Direction
Helen Rose
Costume Design
James Basevi
Fred J. Rode
Set Decoration
Jerry Horwin
Original Story
Seymour B. Robinson
Thomas Little
H.S. Kraft
Adaptation